Missing College Student Found Among Occupy

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Aaron Schmidt seemed to have disappeared. The University of South Dakota freshman wasn’t responding to emails or cellphone messages, and his family hadn’t heard from him in days. It wasn’t until police were called that a clue turned up: a credit card purchase for a bus ticket to New York City.


Turns out, the 18-year-old had boarded a bus in eastern Nebraska — a mere $40 in his pocket — with plans to join Occupy Wall Street protesters in the city where the movement began. His father and uncle flew to New York from their homes in Wisconsin, and began handing out fliers with his photo to protesters.


Clue turned up: a credit card purchase for a bus ticket to New York City.


Turns out, the 18-year-old had boarded a bus with plans to join the city’s Occupy Wall Street protesters. He had a mere $40 and no sleeping bag.


Schmidt eventually responded to a relative’s text message, and he met up with his father and uncle who had flown to New York from Wisconsin to look for him.


Schmidt says he didn’t think he needed to let anyone know about his plans and wanted to see what it was like in the heart of the movement.